We believe more needs to be done to get the Government and industry to foot some of the bill for training. We are asking the Government to look at ways it can support new pilots, including considering how the apprenticeship levy could help.
At the same time BALPA representatives are negotiating brakes on the erosion of new starters' terms and conditions. BALPA is encouraging airlines to agree permanent contracts and move away from employing pilots through temporary work agencies or on zero hour contracts.
For the UK aviation industry to continue to thrive and remain a valuable input in to the UK economy, it needs a supply of highly trained pilots.
BALPA is calling on airlines, regulators and the government to ensure fresh talent is supported and that terms and conditions for new starters are not pushed in a downwards race to the bottom
At Pan Am International Flight Academy, a recent airline candidate for captain upgrade could not accomplish a simple hand-flown ILS approach. With over 3 years and one thousand hours as First Officer on the Boeing 737 flying for the airline, the pilot had very little actual hand flying experience. His company’s standard operating procedures were to engage the Autopilot at 500 feet and, when not auto-landing, the autopilot was disengaged at about 300 feet. Auto throttles were never disengaged. This is one example of how automation and a company's reliance on automation diminishes the skills of its pilots and increases the risks to safety.
In recent years, many simulator training events have focused on "automation" management. Pilots have become very skilled at operating the aircraft with many levels of automation engaged. These "Aircraft Managers" are trained to utilize automation to maintain high situational awareness and aircraft control during very challenging flight conditions such a CAT 3 approaches. But most airline training programmes no longer train or test basic flying skills. Like all skills, manual flying and instrument scans will become dull or be lost over a long period of non-use.